Car Hire Damage Claim 11 weeks later

Irishman2009

Hi Folks,

I hired a car in Bergamo, Italy earlier this year, returning the car on 26th February this year undamaged.

I dropped the keys into a car hire box as I was on an early flight & desk was closed. Regrettably, I did not take photo's, or a video.

Later that day I received an invoice via email from the car hire desk and as far as I was concerned, all was in order (There no mention of any damage).

On Friday last, (May 13th), I received an email from the car hire company, advising damage to the top of the side mirror. There was a letter dated the May 13th, and a photo of the damage (with no date stamp), supporting repair documentation, dated February 28th, and an advise that I will be charged €240 for the damage. The supporting documentation was a repaid invoice, which could be date manipulated easily in my opinion.

I am sure, I did not cause that damage, but don't have photos to prove it.

I do have a car hire excess policy, which requests any damage be advised within 31 days of the end of the rental agreement in which the incident occurred. I have not contacted them yet.

I'm just wondering if anyone has come across this before and how did it work out.

I know I should have taken photo's, and will so so again, or a video might be better.... this might be a heads up to travellers for the summer also.

Any advice & guidance appreciated

Nick

Stephenc66

Do you have a copy of the existing damage sheet that would have accompanied the rental contract on pick up?

Irishman2009

Hi Stephenc66,

Thanks for your reply - Yes, I do and there was no damage recorded. It was a pretty new car.

10-10-20

Yes, @Irishman2009, it's a well known scam.

I managed to obtain a refund from Hertz UK for claimed damage which I was able to demonstrate could not have been caused by me (aged alloy scrapes which were dull from corrosion). Hertz used photos of the specific damage which had been wiped of all metadata and only the photo of the reg-plate had valid metadata. All indications are that they use the same old damage to fleece customer after customer while never getting the damage rectified.

At the time they wanted something like £70 for the alloy (which they had no intention of repairing), £70 for the duration of time when the vehicle would be unusable to them, and a £70 admin fee.

Just look at the reviews here.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g186338-d10821939-r811644328-UK_Airport_Cars-London_England.html

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119070411#Comment_119070411

In you case, you're liable as you don't have any supporting evidence. Always take photos - and be seen doing it, before AND after. And anything that doesn't look right on the little damage sheet - call them out to look. I figure that they flag accounts on this basis as to whether you are likely to have checked.

But I bet if you rented that same car today, you'd still find that damage in situ.

MarkR

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119071122#Comment_119071122

A current picture of the repair would be something I'd be asking for.

k123456

Check your credit card, to make sure its has not debited , if it has, you might need to pursue a chargeback. Whoever issues the chargeback would agree 11 weeks it too long for a car hire co to contact someone about damage.

Which car hire co did you use